Check in time #9 – one more check in till the 10th one!

1:08am, Singapore. Yeap, evening again, in classic Charlene style. (I just downloaded Grammarly by the way, not sure why it wasn’t there earlier as I had Grammarly way back but here it is back again!) So… this would be the most grammatically correct check-in time! 😉

How’s everyone doing? End of Week 4 huh… the semester really is going by fast. To be honest, I feel like I’m undergoing duck syndrome (something new that I have learnt on Tiktok today). Meaning, on the surface all’s good, but I’m paddling very hard underneath to stay afloat. For the most part, I would say it’s working. Most things go like clockwork in my life nowadays, as with lectures, tutorials and a relatively fixed set of commitments, I roughly know what to expect from each week. For most modules, I’m starting to get used to how things work, apart from one of them, and I think it’s because I’m still not used to the heavy content in it. It does help due to the February subject I took earlier on this sem (see previous posts).

However, I’m noticing subtle changes in my lifestyle as well that are not for the better. For example, I feel like I’m getting more tired during the day and have to take more naps, and am taking longer to fall asleep at night because I keep getting afraid that I forgot to do something meant for that day. My mind can’t seem to “shut down” and live in the moment – when out with friends, I notice my mind wandering to work-related things, and not pay attention to what they are saying. I’m having lesser time to do things that I like, such as baking and online shopping, which I have been putting off for so long now 🙁 I’m starting to wonder if my physical health has taken a toll too. I had a bad stomachache tonight (not sure what it could be due to. Thankfully I submitted my assignment before it happened). But I had to push on as I had some other urgent matters outside class that had to be done today.

I guess the only advice I have for myself and others facing a similar situation is that this will pass, and to take things one step at a time. I remind myself that there’s a reason for Week 1 content to be done in Week 1, and Week 3 content to be done in said week. It’s always better to cut down on quantity than to skimp on quality – everyone is trying to stay afloat too. And that as idealistic as it sounds, what matters is for myself to be happy and healthy, and the rest will fall into place.

I’ve been staring at this paragraph for the last five minutes, wondering how to end it off, so I guess I’ll end off with some plans I have for tomorrow. I’m finally going to get new fishies! Unfortunately, the last of my previous batch has died due to old age earlier this week. While I am sad, I’m looking forward to welcoming a new batch of fishes and be a good fish mom to them.

Best of luck for the semester! Feel free to leave a comment on how’s life been 🙂 We got this!